The Emergence of Critical Social Theory in American Jurisprudence: An Introduction to Professor Rosenberg's Perspective

Norman Rosenberg's treatment of Thomas Cooley, liberal jurisprudence, and the law of libel exemplifies both a difficulty with and an opportunity for traditional law review scholarship. The difficulty arises from the failure of many legal writers to identify and explain the jurisprudential perspectives that define their substantive approach. This problem is particularly acute when, as in Professor Rosenberg's article, the jurisprudential perspective deviates from the mainstream. The opportunity lies in bringing the problem of perspective out of the closet and legitimating its critical treatment as an integral element of all legal scholarship.